Fear of Workmen in my home

[Bluebelle]

Hi Everyone !
I am new here and I was wondering if anyone else has a fear of allowing workmen or workwomen in your home.

I live with the most horrific fear that something within my home will break and I will require a visit from a repair person to have "whatever breaks" fixed.
I live by myself and can't bear the thought of having to socially interact with a repair person. I have limited my life to avoid any potential social interaction with people but I can't seem to avoid the possibility of workmen coming into my house.

This fear has since expanded to include any furniture delivery people or even people being able to look into my home through the windows.

As a result I have a fifteen year old fridge and stove neither work very well but I am unable to replace them or have them serviced. I have a television I am barely able to see images on because it is so old. I have a laundry that is so old it leaves rust stains etc on my light coloured clothing.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Peace love and good hope to all

[nomorepanic]

Hi you are not alone with this.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page and read the "similar threads"

[Anxious_gal]

is it fear of them stealing? or just being in your home? or attacking you?
me too I have a fear of strange men in my house! seriously even the Tesco man who delivers our shopping makes me nervous!
how about if you were not alone when the men came over?
you could invite a friend over for tea? or simply ask a friend to be there with you?

[Bluebelle]

Hi Mishel
I don't seem to be worried about being attacked. It is the idea of having to socialize or make small talk with people (men or women) inside my home. My biggest fear seems to be centred around someone seeing the way I have chosen to decorate or the way I live- messy or neat.
My panic has expanded to include the possibility that someone might be able to see inside my home. I have wooden slat blinds that cover every window in my house. I have three 10 feet by 8 eight windows facing the lake and I have covered those even though it is early spring and there is no boat traffic. I have sliding glass doors going out onto my deck and I have covered those in sheets because I had never ordered slat blinds for them. My cat has only a small opening to see out of one of the windows and sometimes I open the slats and let sunshine in for her to bask in the rays. But I never go near the window to close the blinds. I sneak up on it using the wall as a shield.
I KNOW this is ridiculous but I can't help it-I don't know how this started or how to stop it.
Thank you for your time
Peace love and hope to everyone

[tingly]

My night is getting better and better. This sounds EXACTLY like me!! I'm sorry, once again my reply to a poster is of no use to them, but up until tonight i really thought i was at the end, and then i found this site, and i dont know, i feel suddenly really upbeat that there are other people around just like me. Outwardly normal , respectable, reasonably intelligent, - inwardly, cringing when the decorator comes round.

thanks for posting

love and luck to you
xxx

[Alabasterlyn]

I've been like this for years. For me it's all about feeling trapped when a workman is in my house and I start to worry that if I get panicky or anxious I can't just ask them to leave if they are in the middle of doing a repair or something.

I will usually try to make sure someone else is in the house when I am expecting a workman so that takes the pressure off me and then I am okay.

[sheena]

I was like you and my house started to fall down around me.

I still don't like workmen in my house. What I do now is let them in, show them what they have to do and shut myself in the front room telling them to knock on the door when they have finished and are leaving. I then just have to sign whatever and say goodbye. This way I don't have to interact with them and I think sometimes workmen are quite glad to be able to just get on with their job and leave. Hope this is of some help to you.

[Nutmeg]

I know what you mean. A couple of years ago we were having new windows put in and I was doing exams at the time so I was home a lot I would hide in my room and not make a noise all day. I didn't let them know I was there and I didn't speak to any of them. The one day that they had to work on my room I had panic attacks and hid downstairs sat on the kitchen floor for about 7 hours whist they worked on it. I still get freaked out bt workmen they make me uncomfortable I tend to pretend I'm doing something important and just leave them to it.